Anchor Away

Just three hours away from the Kansas City metropolitan is a large body of water to be enjoyed — and it's not in the Ozarks. A drive down 69 Highway will lead you to northeastern Oklahoma,  where Grand Lake lays waiting. This less-crowded lake offers a laid-back alternative to life by the water.

Sure, some boats skim across the water at 100 mph, but most boaters enjoy a more leisurely pace, taking time to anchor out for a swim or run the kids around behind the boat on a tube or wakeboard. “Grand Lake is a tremendous fishing lake,” adds Joe Harwood, owner of Arrowhead Yacht Club. Many coves offer seclusion from the main waterway and prime spots for getting bites. “Duck Creek, Monkey Island, Drowning Creek and Honey Creek are some neighborhoods with good access to fishing.”

Grand Lake is a man-made body of water and much wider than the dammed river of the Ozarks. People who choose to visit enjoy its easy and safe boating, not to mention the luxurious lakefront property opportunities. Most homes have their own private docks for convenient launching. Those who own larger vessels but no property own or rent slips at a marina.

If you're in the market for a lake lifestyle, Grand Lake may be lesser known but it's every bit equal to others within a short distance of Kansas City.

“We have everything from fishing boats to ocean-going yachts and performance boats for everything in between,” says Joe, who also ticks off a dozen major brands represented on the water: Sea Ray, Cobalt, Rinker, Formula, Crownline, Malibu, Regal and many more. 

Now more than ever, you can get more for your money when it comes to buying a boat. Joe recommends that the first decision you make is to buy it at the lake you plan on spending your time, mainly because your dealer will be there to follow up with a maintenance schedule. The next determining factor is whether you plan to buy property or need a boat that you can sleep on. You'll also need to think about what kind of lifestyle you have. “Who will be using the boat — one couple or a family with kids? Will you be    waterskiing or fishing?” Joe asks hypothetically. Once you've thought about these questions, the answers may still not necessarily point to one type of boat. “Sometimes you want to do more things than one boat will allow, but a 28-foot open bow runabout will cover a lot of your needs.”

Once the owner of a new vessel, your opportunities for boating are great at Grand Lake. The north side, including Monkey Island and Duck Creek, are more active areas, while the south side, comprising Honey Creek and Drowning Creek, are calmer. Also, because Oklahoma is farther south, it doesn't get as freezing cold, and boaters can get out for a ride during months most people wouldn't consider. While Oklahoma does get snow, “winter is the shortest season,” Joe notes.